FRANKFURT/BERLIN: BioNTech is selling 50 million specialty needles at no profit to countries struggling to extract an extra sixth dose from vials of its COVID-19 vaccine, while Europe's immunisation campaign is hobbled by a temporary supply shortfall.

European Union countries have been rushing to secure supplies of special syringes with so-called low dead space that are needed to eliminate waste of vaccine when administering the shots.

"BioNTech purchased low dead space needles which work with multiple syringes and is offering a supply with the low dead space needles to countries around the world on a cost-covering basis," it said in a written statement to Reuters.